Security label and method for safeguarding objects

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a security tag ( 7 ′) for protecting an article ( 1 ) against theft, with an electronically detectable first security element ( 3 ) and a covering layer ( 4 ) covering said first security element completely. The covering layer ( 4 ) is covered completely with a label ( 6 ) made of tearable material, which on its side facing the covering layer ( 4 ) is provided with an adhesive whose bonding strength is at least somewhat lower than that of the adhesive applied to the covering layer ( 4 ). Arranged between the covering layer ( 4 ) and the label ( 6 ) is a second security element ( 5 ), which overlaps the covering layer ( 4 ) at least in part and is provided on its side facing the covering layer ( 4 ) with an adhesive whose bonding strength is somewhat greater than that of the adhesive applied to the label ( 6 ). The covering layer ( 4 ) and the second security element ( 5 ) are completely covered by the label ( 6 ). With this construction of the security tag ( 7 ) it is ensured that a removal of the security elements ( 3, 5 ) from the secured article ( 1 ) is not possible at all or only with great difficulty.

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a security tag for protecting articles againsttheft, with at least one, preferably electronically detectable securityelement and at least one covering layer covering the security elementcompletely and being provided with an adhesive on its side facing thesecurity element. The present invention further relates to a method ofprotecting articles against theft by means of at least one, preferablyelectronically detectable security element which is attached to thearticle to be protected.

Security tags of the type initially referred to as well as correspondingmethods for protecting articles against theft are known in the art tosecure articles offered for sale or for rent as, for example, videocassettes. Attached to these articles is a security element which may bean electric resonant circuit, for example. When an attempt is made toremove an unpaid article from the salesroom, the security elementproduces an alarm when carried past detection devices conventionallyinstalled close to the exit. By contrast, when the article is paid forand hence legitimately purchased, the security element has to be removedfrom the article to prevent the alarm being activated. Alternatively, itis also possible for the security elements to be of the deactivatabletype, in which case they only have to be deactivated when the article ispaid for and may remain attached to the article. This is particularlyuseful in connection with rental items because it is not necessary toattach a new security element to the article after the article isreturned but enables the still attached security element to be simplyreactivated.

Such methods have the disadvantage that the security elements areaffixed to the article either visibly or can be easily located byexperienced shoplifters. With sufficient criminal energy a potentialshoplifter needs only remove the located security element from thearticle in order to be able to leave the salesroom unnoticed with thenow unprotected article. In particular security elements which areadhered to the articles in known manner by means of one or severalplastic films are easy to remove.

EP 0 446 910 A1, for example, discloses a security tag comprised of anelectronically detectable, deactivatable security element and aself-adhesive coating covering the security element. The deactivatablesecurity element is a soft magnetic strip element onto which rectangularelements of a hard magnetic material are applied. For storage andtransportation purposes, this security element is adhered to a peelstrip. On its other side the security element is completely covered by acovering layer of paper or plastic, with the covering layer beingprovided with an adhesive layer on its side facing the security element.When the peel strip is removed, the security element with the thenexposed adhesive layer can be adhered to an item to be protected. Thisknown security tag has likewise the disadvantage that it can be detachedfrom the item to be protected relatively easily.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a security tag and amethod of the type initially referred to, in which a removal of thesecurity element from the secured article is not possible at all or onlywith great difficulty.

According to the present invention this object is accomplished with asecurity tag of the type initially referred to by covering the coveringlayer completely with a label made of tearable material, which on itsside facing the covering layer is provided with an adhesive whosebonding strength is at least somewhat lower than that of the adhesiveapplied to the covering layer.

According to the invention the covering layer by means of which thesecurity element is affixed to the article is thus covered completely byanother layer. When trying to remove the security element from thearticle, a potential shoplifter has to remove first the additional layerwhich is formed by a label made of tearable material. The bondingstrength of the adhesive with which the label is adhered to the coveringlayer and the article is at least somewhat lower than the bondingstrength of the adhesive with which the covering layer is adhered to thesecurity element and the article. On account of the different adhesivesused it is therefore not possible for the covering layer to be peeledfrom the article or from the security element simultaneously with thelabel. The bonding strength of the adhesive of the label should beselected to cause tearing or splitting of the label when an attempt ismade to remove it from the article. In this manner removal of the labelis laborious and only possible piece by piece. In an attempt to removethe label from the article, an adhesive layer and part of the labelinvariably remain on the article. Should a potential shoplifternevertheless succeed in removing part of the label, the covering layerwith the stronger adhesive would still adhere to the article. Hence theentire procedure is so time-consuming that a potential shoplifter givesup, leaving the article in the salesroom. Furthermore, by rendering theremoval of the security element more difficult, the probability of thepotential shoplifter being detected by the sales personnel or adetective is increased.

In an advantageous aspect of the invention the covering layer isprovided with a very strongly adhering adhesive. The adhesive should beselected so that a removal of the covering layer and hence of thesecurity element from the article to be protected is not possible at allor only with very great effort. Desirably, the bonding strength issignificantly greater than the bonding strength of the adhesive withwhich the label is provided. This ensures that the covering layerreliably adheres to the article when a potential shoplifter tries toremove the label.

According to a particularly advantageous aspect of the invention thecovering layer is a plastic film, preferably a polyester film, and/orthe label is made of paper or easily tearable and/or perforated plastic.Through the use of a plastic film as covering layer, in particular ahard-wearing polyester film, it is ensured that the security element isaffixed to the object to be secured in a protected, reliable and lastingway. When the label is made of paper or an equally easily tearableplastics material, it cannot be peeled from the article and the coveringlayer in one piece. Rather, a label constructed in this manner will tearinto small pieces when an attempt is made to peel it off, so that itscomplete removal takes a very long time. A plastic label may also haveirregular perforations distributed over its area, so that lines ofpreferred breaking are produced making it impossible to peel the labeloff in a single piece. When the label is made of paper the paper ispreferably multi-layered causing the paper to split during a peelingattempt. In this way a potential shoplifter has to remove the labelpractically layer by layer which further adds to the expenditure of timesignificantly. Ideally, the last thin paper layer provided with theadhesive remains on the article to be protected. Experience has shownthat such a thin paper layer cannot be removed from an object completelyin a short time. This makes it virtually impossible for a potentialshoplifter to remove the security element from the object to be secured.

To increase the rate of detection, a second security element may bearranged between the covering layer and the label, which second securityelement is provided with an adhesive on one side facing the coveringlayer and overlaps the covering layer at least in part. In thisarrangement the second security element is preferably dimensioned insuch a manner that large parts of it adhere with the adhesive layer tothe object to be protected. Because it overlaps the first securityelement at least in part, additional protection is thereby afforded.Alternatively, the possibility also exists to employ different layers ofsoft magnetic and hard magnetic material as security elements, wherebyrepeated activation and deactivation of the security elements ispossible, which is an advantage in particular when securing rentalitems.

When in the presence of a second security element this is equallyprovided with a strongly adhering adhesive whose bonding strength is atleast somewhat greater than the bonding strength of the adhesive appliedto the label, it is likewise not possible for the second securityelement to be removed simultaneously with the label. In an advantageousaspect of the invention the adhesive layer of the second securityelement should at the same time have a lower bonding strength than theadhesive applied to the covering layer. In such an embodiment there isvirtually a grading of the layers with regard to their bonding strength,making it necessary for a potential shoplifter to remove each layerseparately. This is apt to add further to the time needing to be spentby a potential shoplifter.

In the event of a second security element being used, this shouldequally be completely covered by the label so as not to suggest apotential shoplifter where to start with its direct removal withoutfirst having to remove the label.

In another advantageous aspect of the invention the security element isa strip-shaped element and/or the second security element is a thin-filmelement. The strip-shaped security element is preferably deactivatable,enabling repeated activation and deactivation which is advantageous inparticular for the securing of rental items such as video cassettes. Theuse of strip-shaped and/or thin-film elements has the added advantage ofa low layer thickness, rendering the entire security tag so thin that itis not obtrusive on the article to be protected.

The security elements involved may be, for example, electromagnetic(EM), acoustomagnetic (AM), radio frequency (RF) or radio frequencyidentification (RFID) elements. According to the invention, differenttypes of security element may hence find application, with flat securityelements being preferred. The use of flat security elements forming noobtrusive elevation on the article to be protected prolongs theirservice life, which is of special importance particularly with rentalitems.

According to the invention the security tag of the invention ispreferably affixed to a substrate. The substrate may be a carrier web ora secured article.

The object of the invention is further accomplished by a method of thetype initially referred to, which includes fixing the security elementdirectly on the article by means of a covering layer provided with anadhesive on its side facing the security element, with the coveringlayer covering the security element completely, and adhering a label oftearable material to the article by means of an adhesive whose bondingstrength is at least somewhat lower than that of the adhesive applied tothe covering layer, with the label overlapping the covering layercompletely.

The covering layer is preferably provided with a very strongly adheringadhesive, with the covering layer being, for example, a plastic film,preferably a polyester film, that may be adhered to the article.

As label a paper label, in particular made of multilayered paper, or aplastic label made of an easily tearable and/or perforated plasticsmaterial is adhered to the article and the covering layer.

In a particular embodiment of the invention this may be preceded by thestep of adhering a second security element over at least part of thecovering layer, whose side facing the covering layer is likewiseprovided with a strongly adhering adhesive having a bonding strength atleast somewhat greater than the bonding strength of the adhesive appliedto the label, with the second security element and a still exposed partof the covering layer being then completely covered with the label.

The present invention will be described in more detail in the followingwith reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawing. In thedrawing,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article secured by a first embodimentof the security tag of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an article secured by a secondembodiment of the security tag of the invention, with a label coveringtwo security elements being not shown; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the article of FIG. 2 showing thecomplete security tag of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an article 1 protected by a security tag 7 according to afirst embodiment of the invention, which article can be a videocassette, for example. Applied to the surface 2 of the article 1 is asecurity element 3. The security element 3 involved is a strip-shapedelectromagnetic (EM) element which is preferably deactivatable. Such astrip element may be of a width of about 0.7 mm, for example. Thesecurity element 3 is affixed to the surface 2 by means of a coveringlayer 4. Accordingly, the security element 3 rests directly on thesurface 2 of the article 1 to be secured and is fixed on the article 1by means of the covering layer 4. In this embodiment the covering layer4 is a polyester film which may have a thickness of 50 μm, for example.The covering layer 4 overlaps the security element 3 on eitherlongitudinal side, so that its adhesive layer applied to the side facingthe security element 3 adheres reliably to the surface 2. The coveringlayer 4 may have a width of about 5 mm, for example. The covering layer4 is adhered to the surface 2 and to the security element 3 with a verystrongly adhering adhesive. The covering layer 4 is completely coveredby a label 6 described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 2 shows the article 1 to be secured together with a first securityelement 3 fixed by means of the covering layer 4. Adhered over part ofthe covering layer 4 is a second security element 5. The second securityelement 5 is a thin-film element which is coated with a stronglyadhering adhesive on its side facing the surface 2. In the exampleshown, the second security element 5 has a surface area of 20×28 mm,hence overlapping the covering layer 4 on three sides. This enables theadhesive applied to the second security element 5 to adhere to thesurface 2 over a large area. The bonding strength of the adhesiveapplied to the second security element 5 is preferably somewhat lowerthan the bonding strength of the adhesive with which the covering layer4 is adhered to the surface 2. Alternatively, however, the bondingstrengths of the adhesives of the covering layer 4 and the secondsecurity element 5 may also be approximately equal. Hence, for fixingthe first security element 3 and for adhering the second securityelement 5, like or different adhesives may be used. Not shown in FIG. 2is the label 6 which completely covers the second security element 5 andthe portion of the covering layer 4 left exposed by the second securityelement 5.

FIG. 3 shows the article 1 to be protected of FIG. 2, in which the twosecurity elements 3, 5 as well as the covering layer 4 are completelycovered by a label 6. The label 6 is provided with an adhesive on itsside facing the surface 2 and the covering layer 4. With this adhesivethe label 6 is adhered to a large area of the surface 2. As such itcovers the covering layer 4 and the second security element 5completely. In the present embodiment the complete security tag 7′ ishence comprised of the first security element 3, a covering layer 4, thesecond security element 5 and the label 6. The adhesive with which thelabel 6 adheres to the surface 2 has a lower bonding strength than theadhesive applied to the covering layer. Advantageously, the adhesiveapplied to the label 6 has likewise a lower bonding strength than theadhesive applied to the second security element 5. In this way it isensured that in an attempt to remove the security tag 7′ only the label6 becomes initially detached, whilst the second security element 5 andthe first security element 3 remain adhered to the article 1 to besecured. The label 6 is preferably made of paper, in particularmulti-layered paper, which splits and tears when an attempt is made toremove the security tag 7′. Accordingly, it will take some time untilsubstantial parts of the label 6 are removed. In cases wheremulti-layered paper is used, the bottommost thin layer ideally remainson the surface 2 together with the adhesive layer. Even in the event ofa potential shoplifter succeeding in removing large parts of the label 6from the surface, the security elements 3, 5 would still remain affixedto the surface 2, because these are adhered to the surface 2 with verystrongly adhering adhesives. Overall, therefore, the attempt to removethe security tag 7′ from the article 1 to be protected takes so muchtime that the potential shoplifter is either detected or, unnerved,gives up. In the embodiment of the security tag 7 of FIG. 1 the label 6has the same construction as in the embodiment of the security tag 7′ ofFIGS. 2 and 3.

LIST OF REFERENCES

-   -   1 Article    -   2 Surface    -   3 First Security Element    -   4 Covering Layer    -   5 Second Security Element    -   6 Label    -   7 Security Tag

1. A security tag for protecting articles against theft, with at leastone, preferably electronically detectable security element and at leastone covering layer covering the security element completely and beingprovided with an adhesive on its side facing the security element,wherein the covering layer is covered completely with a label made oftearable material, which on its side facing the covering layer isprovided with an adhesive whose bonding strength is at least somewhatlower than that of the adhesive applied to the covering layer.
 2. Thesecurity tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer isprovided with a very strongly adhering adhesive.
 3. The security tag asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the covering layer is a plastic film,preferably a polyester film.
 4. The security tag as claimed in claim 1,wherein the label is made of preferably multi-layered paper or of aneasily tearable and/or perforated plastics material.
 5. The security tagas claimed in claim 1, wherein a second security element is arrangedbetween the covering layer and the label, which second security elementis provided with an adhesive on one side facing the covering layer andoverlaps the covering layer at least in part.
 6. The security tag asclaimed in claim 5, wherein the second security element is equallyprovided with a strongly adhering adhesive whose bonding strength is atleast somewhat greater than the bonding strength of the adhesive appliedto the label.
 7. The security tag as claimed in claim 5, wherein thelabel completely covers the second security elements and the coveringlayer.
 8. The security tag as claimed in claim 5, wherein the secondsecurity element is a thin-film element. 9-15. (canceled)
 16. Thesecurity tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security element is astrip-shaped preferably deactivatable element.
 17. The security tag asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the security element is an EM, AM, RF orRFID element.
 18. The security tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein it isaffixed to a substrate.
 19. The security tag as claimed in claim 18,wherein the substrate is a carrier web or a secured article.
 20. Amethod of protecting articles against theft by means of at least one,preferably electronically detectable security element which is attachedto the article to be protected, comprising the steps of fixing thesecurity element directly on the article by means of a covering layerprovided with an adhesive on its side facing the security element, saidcovering layer covering the security element completely, and adhering alabel of tearable material to the article by means of an adhesive whosebonding strength is at least somewhat lower than that of the adhesiveapplied to the covering layer, with the label overlapping the coveringlayer completely.
 21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein thestep of providing, the covering layer with a very strongly adheringadhesive and/or adhering as covering layer a plastic film, preferably apolyester film, to the article.
 22. The method as claimed in claim 20,wherein the step of adhering a label as a paper label, preferably ofmultilayered paper, or a plastic label made of an easily tearable and/orperforated plastics material to the article and the covering layer. 23.The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the steps ofadhering a second security element over at least part of the coveringlayer, whose side facing the covering layer is likewise provided with astrongly adhering adhesive having a bonding strength at least somewhatgreater than the bonding strength of the adhesive applied to the label,and subsequently covering the second security element and a stillexposed part of the covering layer completely with the label.